If a customer asks you to change the mulch color from last years color in the beds do you remove all or most of the old color or just a little of the old or simply slap the new on top of the old color?

Drew Gemma

02-26-2009, 12:55 AM

Remove as much as possible bill hourly for labor to remove and disposal fee

RGM

02-26-2009, 01:25 AM

Check this out

http://earthtonesmn.com/

TN1976

02-26-2009, 08:11 AM

Check this out

http://earthtonesmn.com/

WOW that is aweosmoe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4.3mudder

02-26-2009, 08:32 AM

What I have done in the past is have the customer choose a color, I go to HD and buy deck stain, mix in the color, put it in a pump up sprayer, and shoot away, looks really good. The problem is trying not to disturb the mulch after it has been sprayed.

Runner

02-26-2009, 01:39 PM

This can be done by backpack sprayer, also.

gandk06

02-26-2009, 02:50 PM

Put it right over the top. The problem with the colored s**t is it looses color, fast, and doesn't break down. As long as you don't a ton of sitting there put the new stuff right over the top. And sell them on hardwood mulch not chopped up and colored pallets.

Groomer

02-26-2009, 05:24 PM

I think you guys are missing the real purpose of mulch.

Malm's Lawn&Pest Control

02-27-2009, 12:38 AM

I would suggest this

www.mobilemulchsystems.com

GracesLandscaping

02-27-2009, 01:21 AM

depends on how much needs to be added... if the beds are full and you can only put an inch then yea you need to remove some old or it will show up in a few weeks... if you can but at least a 2" layer then just lay the new on!

GracesLandscaping

02-27-2009, 01:24 AM

I think you guys are missing the real purpose of mulch.

i know, and im sure they know too..... but the majority (95%) of clients purpose for mulch is for LOOKS and LOOKS alone... if it wasn't for looks we wouldn't have a business!

terraman21

02-27-2009, 03:00 AM

in regards to removing it or not it depends the point of mulch is to create nutrients for the soil, prevent some weeds, and beautify the home. I would educated the customer and convince them to let you remove the old mulch and start with a fresh later of bout 2 inches or so

grassman177

02-27-2009, 08:50 AM

not all dyed mulch is bad. i used to think so and promoted the hardwood we used. but it grayed really fast. the mulch was outstanding though. then i found the company also used the same mulch in thier dyed products. i only buy brown and red now. customers are happy and i am happy. so not all dyed are bad is the point, but lots are. homework fellas

gandk06

02-27-2009, 09:43 AM

Dyed hardwood mulch would not be bad. I just hate the way most of the dyed products spread and lay down. I don't think they do as good of a job of keeping weeds out and keeping the moisture in.

Groomer

02-27-2009, 10:26 AM

The right mulch applied in the right amount will never have to be removed, it will break down naturally over the 12 month cycle. I've always used a triple processed hardwood, commonly called black gold. Never have had to remove it. I stay away from anything in bags, and have used the same supplier for the last 15 years, he sells a nice, dark, smooth mulch that is nice to work with.

TheCanadianLawnRanger

02-27-2009, 10:30 AM

I would never just color my mulch liek that machine

TheCanadianLawnRanger

02-27-2009, 10:31 AM

i use alot of cedar mulch

TheCanadianLawnRanger

02-27-2009, 10:33 AM

nice work groomer

ruffs

02-27-2009, 01:18 PM

i dont understand dyed mulch the puropus of mulch is the feed and protect plant roots.
Not to make your house look like willy wonka lives there. as for the dye I wont use it. i have pulled up many dyed beds to find it is like sheets of plywood with mold growing under it. it dosent rot down and the soil is arid underneath. hey groomer somone knocked over you pot. jk

The Elements Group

02-27-2009, 01:41 PM

use the black Gold or Cypress i do not recommend dyed mulch at all .. but what do i know ... next homeowners may be asking us to put down yellow or blue mulch .. what amazes me is what do we want people to see The "LANDSCAPE" or the mulch (or both).. i will not put down red mulch for anyone,thats a job for someone else.. this really drives me bonkers i cannot stand the dyed mulch AT ALL.. looks trashy i have yet to see one landscape where dyed mulch looks good .. ...... good luck and pardon my rant

ruffs

02-27-2009, 01:48 PM

ive seen blue , yellow and green, thay stained the dirt 6'' down.

Groomer

02-27-2009, 03:15 PM

As long as they don't steal my pot.(haha)

fl-landscapes

02-27-2009, 03:31 PM

What I have done in the past is have the customer choose a color, I go to HD and buy deck stain, mix in the color, put it in a pump up sprayer, and shoot away, looks really good. The problem is trying not to disturb the mulch after it has been sprayed.

Does the deck stain harm the plants??? Can't imagine those chemicals being good for soil or plants? Have you had any problems?

fl-landscapes

02-27-2009, 03:34 PM

The right mulch applied in the right amount will never have to be removed, it will break down naturally over the 12 month cycle. I've always used a triple processed hardwood, commonly called black gold. Never have had to remove it. I stay away from anything in bags, and have used the same supplier for the last 15 years, he sells a nice, dark, smooth mulch that is nice to work with.

Love the look of that black gold mulch. Friends of mine use it a lot in the Boston area. I lean towards pine bark nuggets here

fl-landscapes

02-27-2009, 03:38 PM

pine bark nuggets

Groomer

02-27-2009, 05:24 PM

Thanks, the "black gold" label has been tossed around for a long time, and you gotta know what your paying for, hence the right supplier like I mentioned. The stuff I use is topgrade, holds its color well, and in a years cycle has rotted to a soil-like texture, breaking down and enriching things, which the plants love. As an added benefit, after a rain or 2, or if you soak it down, grass clippings are easily blown out without disturbing the mulch.

GracesLandscaping

02-27-2009, 06:06 PM

there are afew people here that use that rubber mulch crap.... i wanna see someone get some black rubber mulch and spray tire shine on it every week lol wonder what that would look like

grassman177

02-27-2009, 06:29 PM

dye has nothing to do with the degredation of the mulch. the dye is organic and it all depends on wood quailty. i agree the mulch is for the plants first and looks later, but you can have both with double ground hardwood mulch. i refuse to use cypress as it is the crappiest stuff there is. lots of dyed products are cypress and that is where you see no decay and the plywood effect as mentioned above. i know, i used to use it and we had to remove many layers as they never decomposed and built up and molded. almost water impermeable even. it is in the homeowrk like i said in my first post. can you read!? now, over time even hardwood mulched areas will need some somrt of removal. the mulch decomposes into soil which builds up too. after many years this raises the bed height too much and you have to skim off some soil or everything tends to spill out the beds on the edges. rarely, but this can happpen.